Tango
by Lady of the Phoenix
Summary: Karkat challenges John to prove that troll romcom dancing is horrible by showing off how well he dances. And the only willing or able partner for him is Kanaya.


Notes: Done on a request. Someone asked for either John/Vriska or John/Kanaya. I let the ideas roll around in my head for a while, and this was what germinated from it.

* * *

Tango

It starts with a harmless conversation about Karkat's terrible romcoms. The ridiculousness of the plots—Karkat points out that it isn't as ridiculous as what they've all lived through—the overly sappy lines, and worst of all, John argued, was the dancing. The styles were all wrong, the moves too sharp rather than flowing smoothly, the outfits hardly suited to the styles. It was just wrong. And what did he know, Karkat demanded, snarling petulantly as he always did.

"My dad taught me," John answered, smiling cheerfully and never even realizing just what ammo he was giving not only Karkat, but the others assembled. Terezi was snickering behind her hand, Rose had pulled her hood low over her face to hide her expression, Jade seemed excited, Karkat unimpressed, and Dave utterly disbelieving of the material he had been given to work with. Only Kanay seemed unfazed, her face buried in one of Rose's books (she alone had managed to pick up the human language during the three years, and once the humans had been reunited, Rose had foisted pounds of books on the vampire—rainbow drinker John corrected himself.

"This I've got to see," Dave chuckled at last.

"By all means," Rose said to her paradox brother. "John would need a partner."

"Not even going there Lalonde. Not even."

"Rose could do it!" Jade offered, fidgeting around on her seat. "She'd be good at dancing..."

"Not by half," Rose said, shrugging. "Such cavorting around has never been high on my priorities of learning."

"Uh, guys, I never actually said..."

"Shut your seedflap, John. This isn't your concern," Karkat snapped.

"Object, Karkles," Terezi cut in. "I'm sure the courts would find that he is, in fact, an interested party in this case. The issue at hand is finding an appropriate partner, which may not be feasible. If he is in fact adept at this means of performance, he needs a partner worthy of his skill to prove himself."

"Then how about you, Terezi?" Dave asked, smirking.

"I'd remind you that I'm blind Dave. Jegus. How's a blind girl supposed to pick up dancing?"

"Well fuck me," Karkat growled. "Looks like we can't resolve this..."

"I shall assist John in proving his prowess."

Everyone looked up in shock, their eyes flashing toward Kanaya. At some point the troll had closed her book and set it aside. Now she was standing, looking down upon the others like a queen surveying her court.

"Uh, that's okay. You don't need to..."

John can't even stammer out the rest of the sentence before his friends have started to sweep the chairs and such away, the whole process taking far less time than it should, to the point where John was positive there were some time shenanigans going on. Soon, too soon, John was left alone in a circle of his friends with Kanaya Maryam.

She was taller than him by an inch or two, but that wasn't as much of a problem as dancing with someone like Dave would have been. That made her no less intimidating. Kanaya help herself so distance from the guys, had barely even said two words to John since the group had gathered. She was the one, John understood, who used a lipstick chainsaw (how was that even supposed to work?) to cut down her opponents. Dave had said she was a thing to see in a fight, and coming from Dave, John believed it.

"I trust you are aware of how to lead."

"Yeah," was all John could say as Kanaya held out a hand. Nervously he approached and took it in one hand, then thought better and backed up. A disapproving look flashed across her radiant face—he wasn't being poetic or anything, it actually shone like a nightlight—until she saw him grabbing his windsock hood and tying it loosely around his waist. Wouldn't want to lose to Karkat because one of them tripped over his god tier hood. Kanaya seemed to approve of the move, and even took the chance to readjust the scarf at her waist so it would not trail. Then she offered her hand again, and this time John took it, drew close, and carefully placed his hand at the small of her back.

That got Kanaya to raise a perfectly shaped eyebrow—according to Jade, Kanaya spent hours every few days shaping them—and John actually blushed. Fuck, Dave was never going to let him live that down.

"This is how..."

"I understand. What then am I to do with my own hand?"

"Place it on my shoulder. Yeah, like that. Um, someone, music?"

"I've..." Dave started to say, only to have both Karkat and Jade slam a hand over his mouth.

"I believe that would be counterproductive. Allow me. I should have something appropriate on my laptop. John? What music would you like?" Rose asked.

"Uh, what do you think?"

"Well, a waltz would suffice to prove your point, but I feel we could avoid further arguments from Vantas if you do something more complex. A tango perhaps?"

There was a teasing edge to Rose's voice, one Terezi caught onto too quickly.

"Oh yes, John. Show us your human tango. I definitely want to smell that."

"Freak," Dave mumbled, apparently no longer gagged since Rose was pulling out her laptop and sorting through music files.

"I don't know about this," John said, not sure his friends would listen. "I mean, a tango needs both people to..."

"I am familiar with this dancing style," Kanaya cut him off. "Rose introduced me to it through one of your human movies."

"A movie?" John asked, very unsure. "Which one?"

"Something called 'Rent' I do believe."

Now Rose was hiding her face behind her laptop. Interesting. John would have to save that for later. Who would have thought Rose had such a guilty pleasure.

"Well, if you're sure you can keep up."

"I am quite certain of my abilities. Shall we?"

Kanaya released John and shifted so that she was standing beside him rather than facing him. As the music started they joined hands, John quickly moved his hand to guide Kanaya into a spin, and like a miracle she went into it smoothly, twisting around on one foot until they were facing each other, John's hand once more at the small of her back, and Kanaya's at his shoulder. They were a half-beat ahead of the music though, so John grabbed a breath before backing Kanaya up a few paces—she followed like a dream, maybe she'd seen that movie more than once—before spinning them both around.

Together they took a step forward, Kanaya pivoted and twisted back into his arms, and John once again guided her through the backsteps, already smiling. A few quick steps, a turn, another half turn, and then his leg's stretching back and so is hers, and Jegus how she flourishes at every proper moment. Luckily she spared him the embarrassment of the scene in rent where Joanne totally taking the lead from Mark and making him look like a tool, and then dropping him on the dip. As for the dip, she went low, her back bending over to a point John couldn't believe as he supported her. It was beautiful.

Every step was in time, every flourish, leg wrap, fancy bit of footwork Kanaya managed without needing to prompt her. As they danced John realized it wasn't really about him beating Karkat anymore, but about showing off just how good this troll was at something that was so totally human.

Soon, too soon, John's guiding the troll through the final dip, her leg raising perfectly to accentuate the motion, and pulling her back up to him. Their bodies are pressed together, and though they aren't panting, John's pretty sure the only reason he isn't is because the god hood kinda extended his stamina a bit. Kanaya's smiling, faintly, but definitely smiling, and John can't help but stare right into her eyes, which now that he looks also seem to shine with their own light, jewel bright jade surrounded by rich and radiant gold (and this time the poetry's his).

"We should try this again sometime," Kanaya whispers, her voice low and husky for it. It sends a shiver down his back, and it's only then that John realizes that their friends are applauding and Karkat is cursing up a storm.

Quickly he's letting Kanaya go and pulling away, turning on his friends with a blush on his face and laughing like nothing just happened. Like there wasn't a moment there.

"So, like I was saying, I'm kinda qualified to talk about dancing," John mumbled, rubbing the back of his head nervously.

"Where did you even learn that shit?" Dave asked. "No dad teaches their kid to dance like that."

John shrugged. "We took classes together. Back when he was trying to do more than decorate with harlequins. Never thought it'd be useful though."

"That was quite an impressive show, John," Rose said, a rather self-satisfied smile in place on her face. Just what was that supposed to mean?

"Oh that was totally awesome! John! You have to teach me! Oh please teach me."

"Uh, sure Jade. We'll have to go slow and all that..."

"No problem. It isn't like Dave can't give us all the time in the world."

"Ha ha, time pun. Really funny. Who said I would want to help out with these shenanigans."

"Come on, cool kid," Terezi said, "you're going to help and you know it. I wanna learn to do that too, and I can't hog John all the time if Jade's learning."

"No way. No fucking way are you ever getting me to do that and look like a total retard," Dave argued.

And while the arguments and comments ebbed and flowed around them, John looked out of the corner of his eyes at Kanaya, who was standing nearby, smiling a quiet kind of smile that he didn't have the faintest clue of the meaning of.


End file.
